Do You Need a Wheel Alignment?

Wednesday 13 July 2022

Wheel alignment is one of the many car maintenance services offered by the team here at All Coast Tyre Solutions. However, it is also one of the services that people know very little about. So, what is wheel alignment and do you need it? Everything will be explained as you continue reading…

Wheel Alignment Explained

As the name might suggest, this service focuses on altering the way your tyres are aligned. For a variety of reasons, a car’s tyres may fall out of the optimal alignment. Every vehicle has a preset alignment that the manufacturer divides based on the size and shape of the car. When the wheels are correctly aligned, it leads to optimal performance. When they are out of alignment, various problems can ensue.

Our wheel alignment service will adjust the suspension to alter the direction and angle of the tyres when they are in contact with the road. We can straighten or adjust the tyres so the car starts working properly and driving in a straight line once more.

Why Is Wheel Alignment Important?

Ultimately, this service is important because it keeps your car driving in a straight line. When the wheels are no longer aligned or parallel to one another, it can make cars drift or swerve off to the side. Naturally, this is a massive cause for concern! It can increase the chances of road accidents happening, putting yourself, your passengers and other drivers at risk.

Moreover, incorrectly aligned wheels can lead to the following:

• Uneven tread wear on your tyres, meaning some may wear faster than others
• Issues with the suspension
• Increased fuel consumption

So, wheel alignment is also important to maintain tyre quality and prevent suspension problems. Otherwise, you could end up needing more services, racking up the total bill.

Furthermore, you have to consider the other issues that happen when the suspension and tyres face concerns. Worn tyres and a damaged suspension put more demand on a car’s engine. It needs to work harder to get the car to move and go from A to B. This is why fuel consumption increases, making your vehicle worse for the planet and costing you more money on fuel every month!

Do You Need Wheel Alignment?

The short answer is yes, absolutely!

Every vehicle needs wheel alignment services at some point, the question is when? At All Coast Tyre Solutions, we recommend you opt for this service under the following conditions:

• You have recently had new tyres fitted
• Part of your suspension has undergone repairs or been replaced
• You recently hit something while driving that may have caused the wheels to fall out of alignment - like a kerb or pothole
• Your steering wheel feels as though it’s off-centre when driving straight
• Your car seems to pull to the side and is hard to keep in the middle of the road

There are clear reasons why wheel alignment is necessary for all of these scenarios. When new tyres have been fitted, they could alter the way the wheels are aligned as they are slightly different from your old ones. So, re-aligning them ensures they are correctly put in place.

Similarly, any suspension repairs may adjust the alignment of the tyres, so you need to check that they are still parallel to one another. Of course, hitting something with force can easily knock your tyres out of alignment; getting this service is a good precautionary measure to check if everything is okay.

Clearly, if your steering wheel is off-centre and you’re finding it hard to keep your car in the middle of the road, this could indicate wheel alignment issues that must be fixed.

In addition to all of this, we also suggest getting this service at regular intervals throughout your tyre’s life. Our team suggests that everyone should undergo this specific service every 10,000 to 20,000 kilometres. Keep track of how far your tyres have travelled so you know when to book your wheel alignment services.

Book Your Service With Us Today

When was the last time you booked your car in for wheel alignment services? In fact, have you ever done this? If you’ve never checked the alignment of your car’s wheels before, it’s essential that you get them looked at right away.

Feel free to contact us if you’re interested in this service and want to keep your car in the best condition imaginable. Give us a call and we can book you in ASAP.